Venetian Island residents criticize Arsht ad towers

Several Venetian island homeowners expressed concern about the proposed project to build a parking garage topped by high-rise advertising towers across from the Arsht Center for the Arts in Miami.

The towers would be visible from the islands, as are many bayfront highrises on the mainland. Venetian Causeway Homeowners Alliance members had rallied residents to attend Wednesday night’s public hearing.

Barbara Bisno of the Venetian Islands Neighborhood Association described it as “a blight.” Bisno lives on Biscayne Island, the Venetian island closest to the Miami mainland.

The Miami Herald’s Andres Viglucci provided a detailed report on the presentation, the behind-the-scenes lobbying and the reaction from residents on the Venetian Causeway and elsewhere. It’s worth reading and also includes additional renderings of the proposal.

The proposal from developer Mark Siffin includes an eight story parking garage topped by two 22-story video towers — a structure 30 stories high in all.